WHAT DO Jehovah's Witnesses believe?

by Vanderhoven7 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    Please add or correct the following written by Helge Kare Fauskanger

    "For starters, imagine a distinctly insular form of Protestant Fundamentalism minus the Trinity (God and Jesus are held to be separate beings, and the Holy Spirit is God's active power rather than a person). Note: Since the Witnesses want to think of their faith as something absolutely unique, they themselves will not agree that they are either Protestant or Fundamentalist.

    * Very important to call God by his proper name of Jehovah, and as noted, you must not get him mixed up with Jesus. Jesus is not part of the godhead but "actually" the first created being, through whom Jehovah created the rest of the universe. Otherwise pretty standard understanding of Jesus' role (literal virgin birth, sacrificial death, resurrection etc.)

    * The Witnesses are Jehovah's visible organization (the angels are the invisible one). The concept of this supposedly unique organization, and how everyone owes it absolute obedience, is hugely important. The Governing Body of the Witnesses is nothing less than God's channel of information for our age, Jehovah's "faithful and discreet slave". The Bible is revered as God's Inspired Word, but never imagine that you can gain a proper understanding of it except by accepting the wise guidance of the Organization.

    * The year 1914 is huge. Its exact significance has changed over the years, but today, the Witnesses will tell you that 1914 was the beginning of the Endtimes, when God (of course invisibly) established his Kingdom in heaven, Jesus receiving kingly powers from Jehovah.

    * The End is supposed to come within one generation after 1914. With the passing of the years, this doctrine has become problematic, with various solutions being attempted since the mid-nineties. Currently, the Governing Body teaches that this "generation" is actually two overlapping generations: some who knew those who saw the start of the Endtimes in 1914 will live to see the End. No doubt about it ... but do stay tuned for further doctrinal developments.

    * The conviction that we are deep into the Endtimes thus permeates the entire religion, and adherents have spent 100+ years warning the world (or if you like, crying wolf). Any day now, everyone outside the faith will be summarily wiped out by an angry deity in the global holocaust of Armageddon. There is some uncertainty as to how Jehovah will deal with small children, the mentally disabled etc., but at least if you are a sane adult, your future is very bleak unless you become a Witness before the ever-imminent Armageddon strikes.

    * After Armageddon, the obedient survivors will be ruled by God's heavenly Kingdom and will spend a thousand years turning the entire planet into a global Garden of Eden. During this time, most people who died before Armageddon will be resurrected into the emerging earthly paradise, and may gain eternal life if (and only if) they submit to the Kingdom.

    * Those who die in Armageddon are however excluded and will never be resurrected. So if you don't plan to become a Witness, pray that you will die really soon, before Armageddon strikes and you are wiped out forever. (One might think that the last generation that generally had time to die off before Armageddon will not be very impressed by Jehovah's supposed "justice" when they are resurrected and learn that their children are gone forever for no other reason that of all generations, they were so singularly unlucky as to be the ones that were alive when Armageddon struck. However, Watchtower literature never discusses this.)

    * Getting to live forever in the coming earthly paradise, in perfect health and perpetual youth, is the only salvation available to the average believer. Most of the saved do not go to heaven; this is the special privilege of no more than 144,000 people, who are resurrected as spirit creatures instead of resuming lives as earthly humans. The 144,000 select ones will serve as co-regents of Jesus in the heavenly Kingdom.

    * The unsaved are simply destroyed; there is no hell, and indeed no immaterial human souls that could go to hell anyway. (Doctrine similar to Seventh-Day Adventism in this regard.) The dead are unconscious and non-existent, except insofar as God remembers them and will eventually resurrect many of them.

    * Morals: generally Puritan, with the added detail that having blood transfusions (or just as bad: eating/drinking blood) is totally wrong. Dress modestly (and if you are a woman, don't try to wear pants in Kingdom Hall). No tobacco. Alcohol (if any) only in moderation. Women must submit to their "husbandly heads". Sex strictly within marriage. Gay marriage -- you've got to be kidding. Abortion is obviously completely off the table. Incidentally, it seems aborted fetuses will be resurrected in the earthly paradise. Their murderous mothers, not necessarily.

    * Entertainment must be "wholesome". There is a great fear of "spiritism", so anything even remotely touching on magic, ghosts etc. is to be shunned as unclean and dangerous. The entire modern fantasy genre would seem to be off limits. One relatively recent "educational" Watchtower cartoon intended for children shows how a little boy has received a cute-looking action-figure of "Sparlock the Wizard" from a non-Witness friend. His mother promptly guilts him into throwing the wretched plastic wizard away, since wizards use magic and magic "makes Jehovah sad". And we don't want to make Jehovah sad, do we?

    * As regards "secular" scholarship and science, Higher Criticism of the Bible goes out of the window, as does evolution. The Witnesses are however Old Earth creationists rather than Young Earth. The universe and the planet may be billions of years old for all they care, but the human race is only six thousand years old, descended from a literal Adam and a literal Eve that were directly created by Jehovah in the year 4026 BCE with no link to the animal world: Sorry, Darwin, you and generations of scientists after you have got it all wrong. Literal global deluge in 2370 BCE. If geologists can't find any trace of it, it is their problem.

    * Competing forms of Christianity aren't recognized as genuinely Christian at all, but are referred to as "Christendom", a word that has overwhelmingly negative connotations in Watchtower literature. Three cardinal mistakes of "Christendom" are often listed as the belief in an immortal/immaterial soul, the belief in hellfire/eternal torture, and the concept of the Trinity.

    I think that covers the main points."

  • LoveUniHateExams
    LoveUniHateExams

    I think Helge Kåre Fauskanger has pretty much nailed it. 👍

    I think one thing not mentioned is the preaching work: JWs must do this.

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    Good point!

    In the July 1, 1995 issue of the Watchtower, in an article on baptism, under the subheading of "Requirements", it says:

    "It is expected of the dedicated one …will fully bear his responsibilities as a minister, a preacher in the field service from house to house, and otherwise participate fully in the activities of the New World Society, to advance the proclamation of the Kingdom and uphold the true worship of Jehovah. The dedicated one must be a house-to-house witness as was Christ Jesus and the apostles to the extent of his ability..."

    In the July 1, 1995 issue of the Watchtower, in an article on baptism, under the subheading of "Requirements", it says:

    "It is expected of the dedicated one …will fully bear his responsibilities as a minister, a preacher in the field service from house to house, and otherwise participate fully in the activities of the New World Society, to advance the proclamation of the Kingdom and uphold the true worship of Jehovah. The dedicated one must be a house-to-house witness as was Christ Jesus and the apostles to the extent of his ability..."

    This is a must; this is a requirement or criteria for WTS baptism.

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice
    The dedicated one must be a house-to-house witness as was Christ Jesus and the apostles

    Well, for a start, I don't recall reading about that in the Bible, not even in Acts of the Apostles!

    As for what JW's believe, I would suggest they don't actually hold beliefs as such. They just parrot the propaganda that the Governing Body(tm) (Pee be upon then spout).

  • smiddy3
    smiddy3

    I don`t recall anywhere in the Bible that it says JC went preaching from house to house ?

    Acts 20:20 speaks of Paul doing this not JC nor is their any instruction anywhere that followers of Jesus Christ were to do this .

    It was just the way Paul did it and as far as I know it was to give encouragement for beleivers anyway.

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    smiddy - I remember the 'house to house' bit in Acts 20:20 now. It is one the JWs believe is a command. It doesn't look like a command to me. It seems to be a bit of a one off in terms of 'methods' before Paul was bunged under house arrest.

    They never mention Luke 10:7 though.

    Vandy would probably have a better handle on it than me, I've given up studying after the trauma with the Corporation(tm) destroyed my trust.

  • TonusOH
    TonusOH

    Wasn't there a moment in the gospels where Jesus organized the disciples in groups of two and sent them out in what could be described as door-to-door service? The part where he said they should stay in those homes where they were welcome, but kick the dust from their sandals as they left those places where they were not.

    I think that is what they use as the model for their door-to-door ministry.

  • stan livedeath
    stan livedeath

    i think its a very accurate summary of what JW's believe.....and it only goes to reveal what a crackpot cult it is.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    No need to personally ask an active JW. They don’t know what they believe.

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    Punky was right.

    1After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come....

    5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
    6And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
    7And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

    Actually, this is the only time in the Greek New Testament you find "house to house". οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν. And of course the command is literally "Go Not From House To House". In other words find a proper place to stay in each city and reside there until your work in that city is complete. Don't go looking for other homes to stay at.

    In other instances the Greek words often translated "house to house" are κατ᾽ οἴκους which means, "in homes" or "according to homes".

    None of the instances where you find the latter are about going door to door down the street on Saturday mornings or any other morning.

    And there is no command anywhere to go door to door or to do cart witnessing or write letters during pandemics.

    There us nothing wrong with these different methods of evangelism, but no one method is specifically commanded.

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